Songs of My Life
by nitexblssm
Summary: A collection of songfics that I've had in my mind for a while. The summaries, ratings, genres, and pairings are included in each songfic. Please keep in mind that each chapter is its own story unless I say otherwise. Enjoy!
1. At The End Of The Day

**Summary: **Based on Chloe's conflicting emotions. This will have elements taken from the show, but there are other parts that I threw in. The first part is in Chloe's POV and the second part is Alek's POV. The last part is basically when a couple years have passed and it's a combination of Chloe's and Alek's POV. Bad summary I know, but please enjoy and thank you for reading!

**A/N: **This is a rather long for a songfic. I didn't mean to write so much, but ideas kept popping into my head and this is the result.

**Genre: **General/Romance

**Rating: **K/K+

**Pairing: **Chloe/Alek

**Disclaimer:** I do not own NLOCK or this song

**Song: **Running Back to You

**Artist: **Matt Wertz

**At The End Of The Day**

**Chloe POV**  
>I am compassionate. I know, because everyone has described me as that. They say that I can't help but aid those in need and that is completely true. My mother didn't raise me to be an inconsiderate jerk, only caring about myself. I have been told that compassion is a good quality to have. Although, in my case, I can sometimes be compassionate to a fault. All I wanted, what I still want, is to live a normal life. I didn't ask to be the savior of a race that I didn't even know existed until recently. At age 16, most girls would be getting a car or finding their first real boyfriend or something of the like. But of course, I had to be the only teen whose birthday present was having the fate of the world on her shoulders. Don't get me wrong; the claws and cat abilities are pretty awesome, but like I said, not exactly normal.<em><br>_

_**Maybe you'll always learn the hard way  
>Maybe the only way is through<br>That after all the dust is settled  
>You're the only thing I know is true<strong>_

_**Either way, either way  
>I am running back to you, running back to you<strong>_

_**Right away, right away**_  
><em><strong>Got me running back to you, running back to you<strong>_  
><em><strong>Oh oh oh<strong>_

I don't think I ever truly learn from the first time. Ha, don't get me wrong now. I can take care of myself and I have no intention of losing another life so easily. There is absolutely nothing easy about being the Uniter. I feel like one of those spies in the Hollywood movies where I'm living a double life. Which, I basically am. The only humans who are aware of my true self are my best friends Amy and Paul. Oh, and I can't forget the Order; those ridiculous people who want the Mai to disappear. I have to keep secrets from my own mother and that is so hard to maintain. I can't have intimate relationships with humans or else I will kill them. I shouldn't even be close to them at all, meaning Amy and Paul. And to top it off, I have mortal enemies, the kind that aren't human, that want me to die too. Yet despite all this, I still try to be like a normal 16 year old as much as possible. And that includes my relationship with non-Mais.

First off is Brian, my cute college guy with the adorable kitty hat. He is so sweet to me and has put up with my indecisiveness about seeing him. He was able to do what even my closest friends couldn't do; forget about Xavier. I mean, I felt better after helping his brother deal with his drug problems, but I still thought about him. Then Brian came along and everything just seemed to fall into place. He made me feel like how a 16 year old girl should feel. Whenever I was with him, I was able to forget about my duty as a Uniter and the fact that assassins were constantly after me. He made me feel like Chloe. However, like the saying goes "All good things must come to an end." And it did. I had to break up with Brian for good. It wasn't like the past couple times where I did it to save him from offending otherworldly creatures. This last time, it was to save him from myself.

Breaking up with Brian, who technically wasn't even my boyfriend, was heart wrenching. I still feel the pain and I dread the moment I would have to see him again. I just don't know what I would say, but Paul had a valid point. Should I even say anything to Brian if I do see him? Luckily, my mind was preoccupied by a new dilemma; returning a lost jackal to his family. Jackals are the opposite of the Mai. They are the offspring of Anubis, the God of the Dead, and are the sworn enemy of the Mai. Makes sense doesn't it? Dogs and cats hating each other. Well anyways, I decided to help Kai regardless of what Valentina, Jasmine, and Alek all thought. I'm the Uniter, so my job is to unite people and other beings alike. I guess this is where my compassion comes to a fault. It was too late when I realized it was a trap. It was too late to turn back and my only option was to fight. I had to protect Paul and Amy and I couldn't lose Jasmine or Alek.

I almost lost him! I almost lost my protector. All I could do was watch as he was thrown around like a rag doll. I knew Alek would survive, but I was not willing to take the chance. So I pleaded with Kai's father to let him go, to let them all go as it was only me that he wanted. If I had to lose a life in order to protect them, then that was what I would do. Fortunately, I didn't have to surrender a life and Alek would recover.

His kiss shot right through me. My thought process was jumbled, trying to figure out his words of "_We belong together_." I pulled away and looked at him, my face still expressed surprise. Then Amy's words came floating into my mind. "_I'm just saying, it's something you should think about." _And why not? I asked myself. So I leaned forward and he captured my lips once again. I couldn't exactly describe it, but kissing Alek was like breathing. It felt so natural and it wasn't until later that I came to understand my feelings. It was always Alek that I came back to; whether it was of my own accord or not. Even when I asked/told him to not watch me, he would be there in an instant when I encountered trouble. It got the point where all I did was think his name and he appeared out of nowhere. A lot of people have made their appearances in my life, but only one was ever present. My dad had left years ago. My mom has yet to find out. Amy and Paul have their own lives and troubles. Jasmine is like a big sister, but she was also trying to prove herself worthy in her mother's eyes. Valentina just cared about my safety and when I was going to unite everyone. But Alek, oh Alek, was much more. He cared for me. He proved it with his words and actions. And it's him that seems to be the only constant in my life. At the end of the day, it's him that I want to see most.

_**Lately surrender isn't willing  
>But it's surrender all the same<br>All the spaces you've been filling  
>After all I'm the one who ran away<strong>_

_**Either way, either way**_  
><em><strong>I am running back to you, running back to you<strong>_

_**Right away, right away**_  
><em><strong>Got me running back to you, running back to you<strong>_  
><em><strong>Oh<strong>_

**Alek POV**  
>Chloe seems to have no regard at all for her life when it comes to helping those in need or living a normal life. Granted, she had transformed so quickly that "The Talk" was late in coming. And as result, she had accidentally killed a human boy. One would think that after learning Mai and humans can't be intimate, she would limit her interactions with them. But no, of course not! Now she's completely infatuated with this other human. Brock? Brad? Brian? Yes, that's it, Brian. She spends any free time she has with him. How many times have I warned her to break off whatever she had with him! But she doesn't and maybe that is what draws me to her the most. She doesn't take orders from anyone and she does things her own way. And thus, I found myself caring for Chloe more and more.<p>

She is going to be the absolute death of me! Even after finally telling her human boy that they cannot be together, the next act she does is to help a jackal! I had expressed what kind of creatures those monsters were. They wouldn't have any second thoughts about ripping out her throat. They are the lowest of the low. They are the offspring of the Anubis for crying out loud. However, that does not stop her. Even Valentina's refusal had no impact on Chloe and as a result, Jasmine and I had to accompany her on her little mission. And of course it turns out to be a trap. Chloe was being held between two other jackals and this massive guy was about to throw a punch at her. I couldn't let that happen so I took on the guy myself and ended up getting beaten badly. I couldn't even throw a punch back, but all that mattered was Chloe being let go. Then the tables were turned and we were able to leave with no major problems.

I told Chloe that I couldn't live with myself if she had lost another life. It was my job to protect her. It was my job to make sure that she wouldn't lose another life. And yet, she was so close to doing just that. Although what I said was the truth. For the past few months I denied that I had any feelings for Chloe, but I couldn't do that anymore. Especially since Amy had seen right through me. I had no answer when she blurted out "You like her." But for Chloe's sake, I kept my feelings to myself. Whenever I slipped and said something that revealed I may care for her, I followed it up with the protector card. It worked every time and she would just tell me that she could take care of herself. I pushed her away when that was not my intention at all. Deep down I knew that just because she "broke it off" with Brian, she still had feelings for him. And like the gentleman that I could be, I kept my distance. Even though what I wanted the most to do was pull her into my arms where I knew she would be safe. That plan didn't last long.

Amy was not the only one to see past my wall. Jasmine had said it bluntly to my face and warned me that my feelings may hinder what my duty was. It was then that I knew I needed to see Chloe; to tell her what I had been keeping back all this time. I waited on her front steps, nervous and exited at the same time. I could barely hear what she was saying as I was preoccupied with my thoughts. When I finally looked at her, I was momentarily dazed. She looked so beautiful even after the day's hazardous events. After declaring that we belonged together, I claimed her lips to prove it. She pulled away and as I tried to find some kind of answer in her eyes, she leaned back to me. I smiled when I felt her hand on my shoulder, but I was in absolute bliss when she kissed me back. There have been other girls, but I can honestly say that Chloe will always be the one I choose.

_**Where I've been all these years with you beside me  
>I can't believe that you can love me all the same<br>How far I've run, who I've become, you'll always find me  
>After all I'm the one who ran away<strong>_

_**Either way, either way**_  
><em><strong>I am running back to you, running back to you<strong>_

_**Either way, either way**_  
><em><strong>I am running back to you, running back to you<strong>_  
><em><strong>Run away, run away,<strong>_  
><em><strong>Got me running back to you, running back to you<strong>_  
><em><strong>Oh oh oh yeah<strong>_  
><em><strong>I'm running back to you<strong>_  
><em><strong>Running back to you<strong>_  
><em><strong>Oh, run away<strong>_  
><em><strong>Oh, run away<strong>_  
><em><strong>Running back to you<strong>_  
><em><strong>Running back to you<strong>_

He was always there when I needed him. When I was frustrated that he was always watching me; when I was hesitant about dating him; even when I found myself to still be in love with Brian. No matter what, he was always there. And it wasn't just because it was his duty. Night after night I heard him on my rooftop and night after night I fell asleep listening to his heartbeat. Uniting the humans and the Mai and the other creatures out there was not an easy job. I lost a couple of my lives in the process and I knew how much he blamed himself for each one of those loses. Though I told him that none of it was his fault, I could see the anguish in his eyes. So to ease his pain, I told him that no matter what happens, he would always be the one I would turn to. It may have taken me a while to finally get over Brian, but I had always known that in the end, Alek would hold the claim to my heart.

I was hers and hers alone. If that meant giving up my life in order to protect one of hers, then I would have gladly done just that. I pushed her away because of my jealousy of Brian countless times. Then I tried to pull her back when nothing in her life seemed to work. I constantly debated with myself about what to do with my feelings and how they would affect my duty. I almost lost my life a couple times, but she would step in at the last moment and save me. I simultaneously loved and disliked her for that. I was beside myself with anger and despair whenever she lost one of her lives. I could have prevented it from happening and she kept reiterating that there was nothing I could have done. She tried to console me by assuring me that I would forever be her constant person to turn to. It had taken her quite some time to fall out of love with Brian, but when she did, Chloe was finally mine to hold.


	2. No Longer Mine

**Summary: **You can never truly forget the people in your past. Especially, when one of them happens to be your ex-boyfriend. Try as you might, something always happens to bring him back to you…along with the memories you made with him.

**A/N: **Please don't hate me for the pairing, but it works with this song. I would suggest listening to the song while reading this.

**Genre: **Hurt

**Rating: **K/K+

**Pairing: **Alek/Mimi

**Disclaimer:** I do not own NLOCK or this song

**Song: **Who's That Girl?

**Artist: **Hilary Duff

**POV: **Chloe

**No Longer Mine**

_**There were places we would go at midnight  
>There are secrets left nobody else would know<br>There's a reason but  
>I don't know why<br>I don't know why  
>I don't know why<br>I thought they all belong to me**_

Alek and I had dated.

It is a simple fact that not a lot of people know. Or maybe they choose to deny it. Or may they just plain forgot that it ever happened. I mean who could see me ever being with the gorgeous, popular Alek Petrov. He is an athletic genius with an accent that girls swooned over. He is constantly surrounded by people from the "in" crowd. However, just a few years ago, he was anything but the arrogant jerk that struts the halls. The Alek I knew, the Alek I fell in love with, was a sweet gentleman. Sure he was witty back then as he is now, but that's just part of his charm. We knew things about each other that no one else knew, secrets that were exclusively ours. We had places that were meant only for us. We may have been young, too young to understand what love really meant. But that didn't stop us from declaring our feelings for each other. The year we spent together was the most blissful year I ever experienced. I was naïve; I thought that we would be together forever.__

_**Who's that girl?  
>Where's she from?<br>No, she can't be the one  
>That you want<br>That has stolen my world  
>It's not real<br>It's not right  
>It's my day<br>It's my night  
>By the way, who's that girl?<br>Living my life**_

_**Oh, no  
>Living my life<strong>_

Everything happened too fast. I turned sixteen and suddenly I was tasked with saving the world and uniting the Mai and the humans…and possibly any other supernatural creatures there is out there. Becoming Mai, may very well have been the death and savior of my being. It brought me back to my first love, but it also brought back painful memories.

I am the Uniter and my life has been thrown into chaos. Alek is now my protector. It is his job to ensure my safety; even if that means throwing away his own life to protect one of mine. We, the Mai, are far and few; hiding ourselves from the Order. We are cursed with the inability to be intimate with humans. So for me, not only am I not a normal teenager, but I can't even have a relationship unless it's with another Mai. I often remember the times I spent with Alek and can't help but wish I could go back to the past.

She came out of nowhere. One minute Alek is flirting with the girls in our school and suddenly he's completely occupied with this girl I have never seen before. It isn't long before I'm informed that she is another Mai. Mimi, that's her name. She and Alek had met the summer before. I feel a pang in my chest. I ignore it, but what I can't ignore is the way he looks at her. I hear the whispers that follow the two in the halls. The whispers of how perfect they look together; of how lucky she is to have him; of how happy he looks whenever he's with her.

I find myself turning the other direction whenever I see the two of them. Amy, the best friend that she is, tries her best to console me. But nothing she says can ease the pain that I feel. I ask myself countless times if Mimi is the kind of girl he wants. Is she the one that he sees himself with forever? When for the longest time, I thought I was that girl._****_

_**Seems like everything's the same around here  
>When I look again and everything has changed<br>I'm not dreaming so  
>I don't know why<br>I don't know why  
>I don't know why<br>She's everywhere I wanna be**_

Despite my change, I have grown accustomed to who I am. I would be lying if I said, I'm not struggling with my destiny as the Uniter. Other than this change, everything else seems to be in order. My mother has no idea of who I really am. Paul and Amy are still the best friends I could ask for. Alek is still the popular guy that every girl wants. Only this time, he no longer flirts with the human girls. He divides his free time between his jock friends and Mimi.

I was wrong. I thought my life was in order, but that is not so. Every time I see Alek, even if it's a glimpse, he is always with the other Mai girl. It has gotten to the point that she watches me along with Alek. I can hear them on my rooftop; talking, laughing, enjoying themselves. And in the meantime, my heart is breaking. Even after these years, I am still in love with Alek. You never truly forget your first love. And yet mine had.

Tonight is no different from the other nights. I can hear them talking. They are loud enough for me, but quiet enough to not rouse my mother's attention. I listen, though I know I could very well regret it. And that is exactly what happens. I hear Alek tell Mimi about this special place that he has. It's a small waterfall in a secluded area at the nearby park. I catch my breath, praying to Bastet that he is talking about another waterfall. He goes on to describe it; how there is perfect spot next to the falls that they could have a picnic at. One hand flies to my mouth, smothering the strangled cry that my throat produced. My other hand clutches at my chest, the exact spot where my heart is. The waterfall that he is talking about is the same one that he and I used to frequent. It is…was, our secret spot. The place we went to when we wanted to escape from reality. And now, he is taking another girl there. The promise he made me is broken. Did he even remember that promise?

_**Who's that girl?  
>Where's she from?<br>No, she can't be the one  
>That you want<br>That has stolen my world  
>It's not real<br>It's not right  
>It's my day<br>It's my night  
>By the way, who's that girl?<br>Living my life**_

I live everyday as if nothing bothered me. I greet my friends and focus on my studies. I make sure that I don't do anything rash that would incur the wrath of the Order. And I still train with Alek and Jasmine. I even extend my thanks to Mimi when she asks to be part of the training. I no longer complain when Jasmine or Alek chastise me for being a "scaredy" human at certain training procedures. I grit my teeth and go along with it. I work to the best of my ability during the training sessions, because I just want to be as far away from Alek and Mimi as possible. I can't watch them together. The way he looks at her. It's the same way he looked at me and I can't bear to think that at one point, I was the sole receiver of that look.

I feel like a part of me has been ripped away. Our break up is one I can't forget. He had just suddenly said that he couldn't see me anymore. He told me loved me, but that things were changing. He told me I would always be the one and that he knew I didn't understand. He promised me that one day, I would know everything. And that "one day" turned out to be my sixteenth birthday, but by then he had changed. _****_

_**I'm the one  
>Who made you laugh<br>Who made feel  
>I made you sad<br>I'm not sorry  
>For what we did<br>Who we were  
>I'm not sorry<br>I'm not her  
><strong>_

There's a new shipment of clothes that just came in and I am excited about the new outfits. It's been a few months and I can say that I am slowly healing. It helps that I haven't seen Alek or Mimi for a while so my mind was not focused on them. Unfortunately, this little break is short lived. I hear the door open to the connecting café and his laugh reaches my ears. I stiffen and quickly move to the other side of the store, the farthest from the café. This is where I curse my super hearing ability. I hear her say something and Alek laughs in response. At one point, that had been my domain. I had been the one to make him laugh; make him sad; make him worry about me. But reality sets in, and I don't hold that claim anymore. I will not wish that I was her, because I'm not. I'm my own person and I will remain the person that Alek had fallen in love with years ago. So, I turn my back on the couple and focus all my attention on my job.

_**Who's that girl?  
>Where's she from?<br>No, she can't be the one  
>That you want<br>That has stolen my world  
>It's not real<br>It's not right  
>It's my day<br>It's my night  
>By the way, who's that girl?<br>Living my life**_

_**Oh, no  
>Living my life<strong>_

I run out of the room, hoping that no one notices me. I could have gone to the balcony, but that was still so close and I needed somewhere different. I rush to the top of the building and burst onto the roof top. I make my way to the railing at the edge and look down into the darkness. I can no longer stop the tears from falling down. The words keep repeating in my head like a broken record. _"When this whole ordeal is over, Mimi and I are planning to get married." _There is no way to mistake those words. The whole room erupted into cheers and I took that opportunity to escape. My heart which had previously been on the mend is now shattering. Flashes of our past together broke into my thoughts. The smiles, laughs, gestures; they are no longer solely mine. I let out a cry of anguish and drop to my knees, not caring if my dress got soiled. Sobs wrack my body and I think of how pathetic I must look. I didn't, for all the nine circles of hell, care one bit.

Because tonight, I lost my love; I lost my heart.

**A/N: **So this is intended to be a oneshot songfic, but there are some ideas rolling around in my head. I could conjure up a second part that would just be a regular oneshot, but that would be up to you, the readers, if you want it. If you do, then please review with your reply.


	3. What Happens After

**Summary: **Chloe lives her life fighting to unite the world; as if her heart was never broken. Alek lives his life protecting the Uniter; as if he unknowingly never broke her heart when he chose Mimi. Just when the goal of uniting is about to be fulfilled, an event so drastic threatens to break the fragile balance between Uniter and Protector.

**A/N: **This can be considered a continuation of the previous songfic "No Longer Mine." It takes place about 6 months after the events in "No Longer Mine" and a lot of it is in Alek's POV. However, this is NOT a songfic and just a regular oneshot. It is also long so props to you, the reader, for patiently reading this. Please enjoy!

**Genre: **Angst/Tragedy/Comfort

**Rating: **T/M (cause I'm paranoid)

**Disclaimer: **I do not own NLOCK

**What Happens After**

_He opened his eyes to darkness and the faint smell of blood. He moved to take a step, but quickly found that he could not. First, because he felt no solid ground beneath him and second, his wrists were manacled. He tried to call out, but his throat was hoarse. He swallowed and tried again._

"_Hello?"_

"_Ah, you have finally regained consciousness," a female voice answered. "We were starting to get bored. We almost started without you, but luckily you woke up in time. Now we can officially begin. Bring in the Uniter!"_

_He heard someone being dragged along with muffled screams. He began to move, trying in vain to escape his restrictions. A million thoughts flooded his brain, each one repeating the other; they have her! How could I let this happen? I need to save her!_

"_There is no point in struggling," the female voice said. "You can't get out of those. So, why don't you be a good boy and just watch what is about to happen?" Not long after she said that, a light flickered on in the middle of the room. His eyes adjusted to his surroundings and the smell of blood grew stronger. He stiffened, his face a hard mask, but what he saw next broke his composure._

_A young woman, gagged, was dragged into the room. Her sunny blonde hair was matted with dried blood. Her hands were tied securely behind her back with chains. He could see rivulets of blood running down her fingers. His eyes flashed to her face, noting the black rims around the eyes, a swollen cheek, and her split lip. Anger that had been boiling beneath the surface, finally exploded. He was yelling, fighting against the manacles and finally, was able to free himself. He sprinted to the young woman lying on the ground, but was suddenly blocked by a member of the Order. _

_It took about five members to finally subdue the younger man. He bared his teeth at them, his claws extended to their full length. He was tied to a chair this time, the members of the Order taking care to use plenty of chains and rope. He was facing the young woman he was trying to save. She was starting to wake, her breath slow and unsteady. She turned her head and locked eyes with him; a combined look of shock and terror filled her face._

"_Well then," the female voice spoke again. "Shall we begin? Make sure you're watching over there in the chair. Because after her final breath, you're going to be next. , would you like to do the honors?"_

_A man walked out of the shadows, a smile plastered on his face and a large knife glinting in his hand. He walked over to the young woman on the floor, the knife hovering above her. _

"_Good-bye Chloe King," the man sneered as he brought the knife down. Bone chilling screams instantly filled the air as the sight and scent of blood grew too strong for the senses to handle._

**Alek POV**

Alek shot up in his bed; sweaty and shaking. He needed some fresh air and he needed it badly. He was about to throw his covers off until he remembered his bed companion. Taking care not to wake up Mimi, he gently left the bed and walked out to the balcony of the apartment. Luckily Jasmine and Valentina were away for the night. It was that dream again. No, not a dream, it was a nightmare. He had been having the same one for the past two weeks now. It was always the same. Night after night, the scenes replayed themselves in his head like a broken record. He needed to tell Valentina about it.

Four Mai teens collapsed on the soft grass at the park. It was about 4 in the morning and they had been training since midnight.

"Wow Chloe, you have really improved," Jasmine commented.

"Thanks," answered Chloe. "It's because I have such great instructors."

"Good. Then how about another hour of training then? We'll work with the bamboo sticks and practice self defense. We should probably practice attacking too."

"Alek!" exclaimed Mimi. "Can't you see how tired she is? She's about to pass out. She needs rest not more training right now."

"I just want her to be prepared for anything that may come her way," retorted Alek. "You never know what might happen. She could be kidnapped and held in some dark place waiting to be – you know what? Never mind, we're done for tonight. Chloe I'll walk you home."

Chloe, Jasmine, and Mimi looked at each other with questioning gazes before following Alek. Chloe increased her speed so that she was walking side by side with her protector. Jasmine grabbed Mimi's hand and walked the other way towards the apartment. Mimi was about to protest, but Jasmine shook her head.

Alek was currently berating himself in his head. He almost let it slip about his nightmare. He had talked to Valentina about it and she was afraid that it may actually happen. She wanted him to train Chloe hard and keep a very close eye on her. She also forbid him to tell Chloe about the dreams. He was knocked out of his thoughts when he heard his name called softly behind him. He turned to look at the Uniter standing still, her gaze questioning.

"Come on Chloe, I have to get you home and you need to sleep. It's lucky that it's the weekend."

He expected her to say something, instead she nodded her head. He thought she was probably too tired to say anything at the moment. He waited for her to pass him and he followed after. They had drifted apart, he noticed. There had been a time when it was always just the two of them. He would say something sarcastic and she would come right back at him. He had thoroughly enjoyed the times they spent together, but her human had always butted in. He knew how important that human was to Chloe which frustrated him to no end. Despite his warnings, she never heeded them. When Mimi came back to San Francisco, he decided that it was time to stop pining for a love that would never be returned. So, he let go of Chloe.

"Alek we're here," Chloe said, once again drawing him from his thoughts. She said thank you and smiled before entering her house. Alek made his way to her rooftop. He wouldn't let anyone else guard her and he was grateful that he was without Mimi tonight. He was drifting into sleep, but snapped to attention when he heard Chloe's heartbeat increase. It was lucky that her window was open else he would have to explain a broken window to Mrs. King. He perched himself on the sill looking around the room for any signs of danger, but found nothing out of the ordinary. He whipped his head around when a whimper came from Chloe's bed. He made his way silently towards her. It looked like she was in pain. Tears were streaming down her face and she was clutching at her chest where her heart rested. Suddenly his phone vibrated. It was a text from Mimi asking him to come back to the apartment and send someone else to watch over Chloe. He debated with himself about what to do only to be interrupted by Chloe's pained words.

"Alek, don't go." The said boy turned to look at her, expecting to see her awake, but her eyes remained closed. Was this some kind of joke, he asked himself. He clearly needed sleep as he was now hearing Chloe's voice in his head. He looked back at her and decided there was no point in leaving now and resumed his position on her roof.

**Six months later**

"I hereby declare truce between the Jackals and the Mai. We, the offspring of Anubis, swear to inflict no harm on humans or other supernatural creatures alike. We agree to aid our allies if and when we are called upon. And lastly, we agree to uphold this truce by not betraying our allies. Long live the Uniter!"

A round of applause echoed throughout the warehouse as all beings raised their glasses to Chloe. The Jackals were the last of the supernatural community to agree to a truce and sign the treaty. Chloe had lost a couple lives prior in her attempt to unite the otherworldly creatures. She had five lives left and she was determined not to lose another. Valentina was right when she said it would be more painful the more she lost lives. The biggest obstacle she has yet to overcome is the Order. Although, they have been in contact with each other about stopping the senseless killings, there were still rogue assassins that tried their very best to eliminate the Uniter.

Alek kept his eyes locked on Chloe, as if he expected her to be whisked away at any given time. Although he knew that she was safe at this moment, he couldn't help but recall his nightmare; the one where he helplessly watched as she was repeatedly stabbed. He truly hoped that the Order did not have another hidden agenda when they agreed to meet the following week. He sighed and leaned against the wall next to him. He was drawn out of his thoughts by a laugh only recognizable as Mimi's. He let his eyes wander to his soon-to-be fiancé. If the meeting with the Order went well next week, he planned on proposing not long after. He smiled as he watched her interact with the people. She was what he needed, someone who didn't need to be constantly looked after. She would keep him grounded and she would love him. A slight breeze came through the windows and carried with it a distinct scent that could only belong to one person. His returned his eyes to Chloe and was instantly thrown back into memories of his younger self.

_Flashback:_

_Two young children, just barely past 13 were sitting under a tree watching the sunset. The boy was leaning against the tree and the girl sat between his legs. He stretched before bringing his arms down to embrace the girl in front of him. She leaned back into him and he brought his lips to her hair in a gentle kiss. _

"_It's so beautiful," the girl said with awe._

"_Not as beautiful as you," replied the boy._

"_You're so cheesy," joked the girl, but she blushed nonetheless._

_The two watched the sun sink fully below the horizon. The vision blurred and was replaced by another. The same boy and girl stood below the same tree. Only this time, they were a year older and just entered high school. Although, the romantic atmosphere of the last memory was no longer there. Instead, identical looks of pain dominated their faces. The girl began to cry, holding herself as she began to shake._

"_I am so sorry love. I didn't want it to end this way. I didn't want it to end at all," said the boy._

"_Then why are you breaking up with me?" questioned the girl between sobs._

"_I can't explain it right now. I just can't. Believe me when I say it's not you. It truly is me and one day, I will tell you everything, but right now…it's just too difficult," he answered. He hated seeing her cry, but what he hated more was that he was the reason for her tears._

"_I have to go," the boy continued, sadly. "Please, just please know that I love you. I always will." He turned to leave. If he stayed any longer he knew he would lose his resolve. He dared not look back, but even as he was walking away, he heard her last whispered words._

"_Alek, don't go."_

"Alek! Alek!" He snapped back to reality when he heard his name being called. He glanced down to see Mimi looking at him with worried eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "I was calling you for a while and you were just lost in space. I even waved my hand in front of your face and you didn't register it."

"Sorry," he apologized. "I'm going outside. I need some fresh air."

"Oh, well then I'll come with you," Mimi offered.

"Sorry, love," he said. "It's not that I don't enjoy your company, but right now, I just have things I need to think through."

"Okay," Mimi said uncertainly as she watched her boyfriend walk out the door. She turned to see Chloe give her a questioning look. She shrugged her shoulders and mouthed "fresh air."

**Alek POV**

I have no idea what just happened in there. Those memories just seemed so real. Did they really happen or are those just something that my mind came up with because I can't be with Chloe. I shove my hands into the pockets of my jacket and sigh deeply. I noted that the jacket finally fit me perfectly. I had it since I was fourteen, but it was too big for me then. I feel something in the left pocket and take out the object to have a better look.

It was an intricately fashioned sliver and blue bracelet. Looking at it closely, I noticed that it was fashioned as two vines twined together with the centerpiece being a heart. The heart itself was simple, but what really mattered was what was engraved on it: a heart followed by the word "always" and below that were the initials "A.P." My breath was suddenly caught in my throat. My head reeled as snippets of my past memories flashed through my head; memories from the year I dated Chloe King.

In a secluded part of the city, figures clad in black gathered in an abandoned building. They paired off in twos and proceeded to post themselves at certain points throughout the building. Each person carried a gun in their hand and had another hidden at their waists. They also had knives hidden in their boots. They were taking no chances when it came to carrying out the final plan. They needed to be ready in case the target called for backup.

"Make the call Simone. It's time to end this," a man said to the woman standing beside him. She smiled and dialed a number on her phone.

"Hello Chloe, its Simone. Listen, something came up, a family matter and I'm sorry to ask this off you, but could you possibly push our meeting to tonight? You don't have to bring the entire Mai posse with you. This will be just a short meeting. We can talk over things and set up another meeting where everyone will be attending." There was a pause as Chloe responded to Simone's request. "Yes, I suppose that's okay," Simone continued. "Okay, thank you so much. I will see you in ten minutes."

"What was that?" asked the man.

"Oh she's bringing her protector with her. She would not agree otherwise, but we can take care of the protector. Let's get into positions then."

"Chloe are you serious! Why do you keep deciding these things on your own?"

Chloe King was currently being scolded by her protector. She knew he would have something to say, but she stood her ground. The only thing she didn't want to do is to anger the Order. So if the woman wanted to meet, then they would meet. It would not do well to deny the request and risk the chance of losing her favor.

"I'm the Uniter, Alek. I've already united the Mai and the other beings. Now it's time to unite us and the human world. So, if it can happen sooner then so be it. Besides, you're coming with me."

"What!" Alek exclaimed, glaring at her.

Chloe flinched, remembering that tonight was his night off. She knew he intended to spend it with Mimi, but she thought that he wouldn't object if it was him that was accompanying her. Apparently, she thought wrong.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I forgot tonight you're not watching me. I'm sorry, you don't have to come. I can ask Jasmine or maybe even Valentina. I know she's busy, but since she's the leader of the Mai here, then it would be good to have her with me. I'm going to call her now. You can go Alek."

"Chloe, you know that I would go with you, but I do agree that Valentina is a better option. With her there, she can negotiate things and make sure there won't be any loopholes."

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks Alek." Chloe watched as he began walking away. She so badly wanted him to turn around and say that she was more important than a night off. She had already asked enough of him. So, she picked up her phone and called Valentina.

Chloe glanced at the leader of the Mai as they drove to the place of meeting. She had not said a word the entire drive, but looked deep in thought.

"Thank you so much for coming with me Valentina. Especially on such short notice. I know you're busy-"

"It's okay Chloe," Valentina replied. She smiled at the young teen ensuring her that she wasn't mad. "I'm glad that you called me. If anything happens, then at least I will be there and I do have teams of our best fighters on call."

Not long after, they arrived at the designated meeting place and proceeded to enter the abandoned building. They were met at the entrance by a member of the Order and were shown to a certain room within the building. The room was well lit with a large table and chairs in the middle. A tray of snack foods and bottles of water were at one end of the table. At the other end was a stack of papers, presumably for the meeting and the calling of a truce. A door opened to the side and out stepped a tall woman with short, blonde hair.

"Hello, I am Simone," she introduced herself, holding her hand out.

"Hi, I'm Chloe," Chloe said shaking her hand. "And this is Valentina, the leader of the San Francisco Mai." Valentina merely nodded at the other woman.

"Well then, shall we begin?"

The three of them spent about two hours talking about the truce, about the existence of the Mai, about whether or not the rest of the human world should know, about what will happen to the Order once both parties signed the papers. Simone and the rest of the high ranking Order leaders had already signed the papers. Chloe took up the pen and signed her name on its designated blank. Valentina's signature would be the first amongst the leaders of the Mai clans. As she was about to sign her name, she caught a glint of something behind Simone's back. She instantly jumped onto the table and threw a knife at the man behind Simone.

"Chloe get down! This is a trap!"

Suddenly the room swarmed with members of the Order. Simone stalked out of the room after ordering for the Uniter and the leader to be killed. Valentina and Chloe were left fighting back to back against a throng of men. After a half hour of intense fighting, the two Mai miraculously made it out of the room alive.

"Go Chloe, I'm going to call our back up as well as Alek and Jasmine," Valentina told Chloe, already punching speed dial on her phone. Valentina soon had Alek on the other line and was telling him the situation when a sudden shrill scream broke through the silence.

"CHLOE!"

**Alek POV**

I groaned as I heard my phone ringing. I was really hoping that I wouldn't be disturbed tonight, but it seems that that wasn't possible. I tried to ignore it, but it just kept ringing. I gave Mimi one last kiss before disentangling myself from her.

"Don't Alek," she called to me.

"Sorry," I told her as I picked up my phone. "Hello," I answered rather harshly, but instantly paid attention when I heard Valentina's voice on the other line.

"Alek," Valentina said. "We need you here now, it was a trap. I've already called the teams and Jasmine, but you're help is also needed. I've told Chloe to get-"

"AHHHH!" Valentina's last words were drowned out by a piercing scream and the only name that came to his mind was 'Chloe.' Jasmine came out of her room just as Alek yanked open the front door. Together they grabbed their weapons and sprinted to where the Uniter was.

It was dark, but the sounds of clashing weapons were reverberating throughout the entire building. He and Jasmine were each fighting three Order members, but were quickly tiring. They knew they had to get to Chloe; however they met opponents at every corner they turned. Jasmine was about high-kick some guy until they heard some howling. It grew louder and suddenly the room was filled with more people; the Jackals had made an appearance.

"Alek go find Chloe! I'm gonna look for my mom!" Jasmine yelled to him. He nodded and ran out of the room, hoping to find Chloe alive. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to run far before he felt a small pinch on his neck and lost consciousness.

A young man hung a foot above the ground. His arms were above his head, his wrists manacled. A single chain from the ceiling was all that held him straight. The room was dimly lit, but it was a perfect setting for what was about to take place. A woman leaned against a wall, waiting for the boy to wake up. It didn't take long. He opened his eyes and she watched him try to speak. He was finally able to squeak out a 'Hello."

"Ah, you have finally regained consciousness," the woman spoke to the young man. "We were starting to get bored. We almost started without you, but luckily you woke up in time. Now we can officially begin. Bring in the Uniter!"

An unconscious, young woman was dragged through the doorway and dropped to the ground in front the young man. Instantly he struggled against his restraints, but despite the woman saying he couldn't escape, he managed to free himself and ran straight to the fallen girl. He was suddenly held back and retied to a chair with more chains and the addition of ropes. An older man came out of the shadows and with a knife in his hand, made his way to the Uniter.

**Alek POV**

I watched with rising fear as the man neared Chloe. How in the world could I have let this happen! I should have gone with her like she asked me! Why the hell did I even say no? I should have followed her and Valentina. Oh God! Oh God, no! Please don't let it end like this. I can't lose her! Not again, I can't go through that pain again! Chloe! Chloe, please! Oh, Bastet no! She may have other lives, but this can't happen.

"AAHHHH!"

Chloe's scream snapped me back to reality. I flinched when I saw the gash on her stomach and the man holding the bloody knife. My Mai senses turned on and I fought against my restraints. Another scream came from Chloe as the knife plunged into her body once more. My senses went into overload; hatred boiled in my blood and I wanted vengeance. The chains and ropes fell from my body and I had broken three necks before the people in the room moved into action. But they were no match for my fury as my only goal was to eliminate that bastard that was repeatedly stabbing Chloe. I faintly sensed Jasmine and Valentina enter the room and fight the Order members. I reached the man, who I recognized as Brian's father, and tear him off Chloe. He grinned at me maniacally and that was all I saw before ripping him apart with my claws. I must have blacked out because the next thing I saw were my bloody claws. I wiped them off on my pants. I looked up to see Valentina and Jasmine about to finish off the woman from earlier.

"Alek." It was a whisper, but I still heard it. I turn my head towards Chloe and fell to my knees. I crawled over to her, fighting to keep my tears back. She was bloody, with numerous knife wounds on her stomach, chest and arms. She had lost so much blood and was still losing it. I moved strands of her hair from her face.

"Alek, it hurts," she whimpered, closing her eyes trying to fight the pain.

"I know love. I know, just keep breathing slowly," I answered.

"I'm not going to make it Alek."

"Yes you are. You're a fighter Chloe. You can't-" My voice broke and I could no longer hold the tears at bay.

"Not this time Alek. We both know I've lost too much blood. Oh God, this hurts so much."

"Chloe-" I began, but she interrupted me.

"Don't Alek. Don't you dare blame yourself for this. I was the one who agreed to this meeting in the first place. I'm really lucky that Valentina was here and that she had back up. I don't have much longer. But please Alek, please, for me, don't blame yourself."

**Chloe POV**

Although I told him not to blame himself, I knew he would. I could already see it in his eyes. I was quickly losing myself and I knew I had to tell him before I died. I took a deep breath, my last breath of this life.

"I love you Alek," I told him, looking into his eyes. "I always have, always will."

It might have been my imagination. Maybe I was hearing things being so close to death, but I could have sworn I heard him say "I love you" back.

The Uniter lay on the guest bed in Valentina's apartment. Alek had carried her all the way back, refusing to let anyone else touch her. Valentina and Jasmine had cleaned up her wounds, even as they were healing. It had been an entire two days and Chloe still remained asleep. Alek sat by her side, never once rising to eat or to do anything else for that matter. He held her hand, quietly talking to her, pleading with her to wake up.

Out in the living room sat Jasmine, Valentina, Mimi, Meredith, Amy, and Paul. Once in a while they would talk, but for the most part, silence reigned. Meredith, Amy, and Paul were beside themselves when they heard what had happened. Valentina and Jasmine comforted them, saying that Chloe would wake, but they had to be patient. Mimi hardly said anything, only glancing at the guest bedroom door every five minutes. Alek hadn't come out for the past two days and denied any sustenance that was offered to him. He barely even glanced up when someone entered the room. His entire attention was focused on the young woman on the bed.

Mimi walked onto the balcony, seeking the cold night air and the balcony's seclusion. She knew what would happen when Chloe woke up, and honestly, she wasn't the least bit mad. It was only the past week that she found the bracelet in Alek's pocket. She had asked him about it and he had told her everything. With this recent event, she knew that there was no way Alek would ever let Chloe go. She had a feeling, even when they first started dating, that his heart was somewhere else. She was perturbed at first, but she had felt what Alek was feeling now. She understood his feelings and that was why she was also able to let him go.

"Chloe, Chloe please wake up. I don't how much longer I can sit here and pray that I haven't lost everything."

"You haven't. You still have Valentina and Jasmine. And I certainly won't be going anywhere."

"Chloe! You're awake! Oh thank Bastet. How are you feeling? Are you feeling any pain at all?

"Alek, calm down. I'm feeling fine."

"You've been out for two days. I thought you wouldn't wake up at all."

"Well here I am now. And while I'm feeling fine, you look like you haven't slept at all. Alek, don't tell me you stayed here the entire time!" 

"And if I said I did?"

"Have you eaten at least? You can't just forget about yourself!"

"You are everything to me. I can and will put aside my needs if I want to."

A pause in which neither party said anything.

"You heard what I said right? What I said before I died?"

"You said I love you. I always have, always will."

"I meant it you know."

"I know. I also meant what I said.

"You said-"

"I love you too. Listen Chloe, when I broke up with you all those years ago, I couldn't forgive myself. I think my brain must have buried that memory because it wasn't until I found the bracelet I gave you that I remembered everything. And when did you give that bracelet back?"

"I visited here a week after it happened. Jasmine let me in; you were at basketball practice so I sneaked into your room and left it in the pocket."

"Well, I'm giving it back and you have to promise me that you won't ever lose a life again. Watching you lose your life again…I can't go through that once more. You only have four lives left and they are absolutely precious. I, for one, would love to spend the rest of them with you and without having to worry about some idiot wanting to take your life."

"Aren't you supposed to be getting engaged soon?"

"I've talked it over with Mimi. But bottom line is, I can't Chloe. Not when my heart is in another place."

"Ha-ha. You're so cheesy.

"But you love me nonetheless.

"Yes, I do."

"And I love you. I always have, I always will."

From the doorway, Jasmine, Valentina, Amy, Paul, Meredith, and Mimi looked on with smiles on their faces. Although the future with the Order remained uncertain, they could be sure that for a long time to come, Chloe's heart would be safe.


End file.
